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Author . 



Title. 



Imprint. 



16— 47S73-2 



lyTilitary (jrder 



of tbc 



X^sil legiori 



of tl^e 



XJi^ited ^tates 



E2:22Si25sa 



COMMANDERY OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. 



f^SjCMsraa 



WAR PAPER 56. 



Biql^tir|q guerrillas oq tqe Isa 
roourcqe, Isa. 



-5^H- 



Military ©rder of \\}q boyal be^ion 

OF THE 

Onited States. 

■^- 

COMMAWDERY of the DI^TI^ldT OF dOLU^BIA. 
=^- 

WAR PAPERS. 

56 

"F'-gKiing (aucrrillas oa ihz ^z. "Fo'^rchc, Sl:x. 

PREPARED BY COMPANION 
Captain 

FREDERICK W. MITCHELL, 

U. S. Volunteers. 

READ AT THE STATED MEETING OF DECEMBER 7. 1904. 



^iflhtiufi Sumillus on the |^a ^ouvclu, ^i 



It was a lc)\L-l\' night in Angii^t, i,S()4, with a full haix't-st 
inonn sliining as onlx- a Sonthcrn nv):)n i-an shine I'nr 
wi-i-ks the darkies hat( been reportin.s; to us tliat a niysteridus 
force was preparing to swoop down up.m our a'.Ixanced jjosts, 
at Thibadeaux and along the Baxou, eight\- miles above New- 
Orleans; haxing captured which, the\- would attack iIk' city 
itself. With a dozen or so men of our co!ni)anies. Captain 
Houk of Co. L, and 1, Captain Co. I. ijih 111. Cav.. decided 
to make a little raid on our own res])onsil;ilit\- and [jenetrate 
far enough northward to \erify or disprove these runKjrs 
Our Colonel commanding told us that we could liaxe his \erl)al 
permission, but that he did not sanction the \-eutnre nor a]) 
pnn'e the moxement, as the coiuitr\- was said to bi' full of 
Texan guerrillas. The Captain and 1 onlv knew that we were 
going somewhere to the north and west, where or how far 
we ourselves had not even a remote idea. The wliole out 
lying country to all of us was tcn-a inanjnita. And yet from 
the hour we set out until our return, ten days later, our move 
ments were generally well known and our comingoftener than 
n(jt anticipated at the jjlantations we visited. Nearly e\erv 
plantation throughout the South had a house darkey, as he 
was called, generally bright and sharp and t|uite well educated 
and always loyal to his mistress. By some, to ns unknown 
means, their method of inti-rcommnnication was most excel 
lent. 

We were splendidly mounted on picked lujrses, were 



armed with vSpencer repeating carbines, unknown in that 
country, and carried a single blanket and an abundance of 
coffee. We intended to live on the country, as the extra 
rations of coffee were almost like coin as a means of exchange. 
Avoiding the more travelled roads wc first visited a plantation 
about ten miles from our camp, surprising a midnight enter- 
tainment which was being given to some rebel raiders. The 
men abandoned their horses and equipments and escaped into 
the cane-brake, but the wife of one of them who ran between 
us and them to distract our attention and assist their escape, 
had her entire hair ciil frfim her head bv one of our bullets, 
as if bv a razor, Ihmutjh she herself was uninjured. After 
some unimportant skirmishing we were informed bv one of the 
darkies that a rebel captain was visiting his family at an 
adjoining plantation. We rode up to the house indicated and 
quietly dismounting, stationed a guard at each lower window 
and door to prevent any escape. After but a few moments 
waiting the front door was opened in answer to our knocking, 
and a very handsome young woman scarcely out of her teens, 
almost a girl, appeared with Hghted candle in her hand. She 
did not seem at all surprised, but said calmly, "Please make 
as little noise as possible, gentlemen," using the word "gentle- 
men" with the most scornful emphasis, "for my old mother 
is upstairs, very sick." 

Our hasty search through the lower floor rooms revealed 
only empty apartments, but in the front one on the second 
lloor a very old lady was sitting in a large easy chair before 
a log fire with her head bandaged and evidently in great pain. 
We did not remain long in the house or find anything to re- 
ward our search, and as the lady bade us goodbye at the 
door and sarcasticallv said, "Only a Yankee trick to frighten 
unpn.)tected women," I stopped long enf)ugh to say to her 



■•.Madam. \vt> are after larger <,'anie than siit'"ill:i eaptaiiis, 
and have no men tn spare to send baek a jirisoiier to our eamp, 
but tell your hushand when he next visits von and desires to 
escape caplnienot only to cover np his nnil'orm hut his spurs 
as well." 

She impulsivelv held out her hand and said: ■('.od l)less 
you! Yankee captain thon,-li von are. Whati'Vtr vour 
motives, God bless V(.n. We haxc been marrieii but a month, 
and he is grievouslv wounded and he swore lie would never 
be taken alive " 

The following day, after riding about twenty miles, towards 
noon we charged into a plantation from a back road where 
the darkies told us a body of rebels were camping. Too late, 
as usual. We found everything comparatively quiet. A fine 
looking young man, perhaps twenty-two, dressed in white 
duck and wearing a sombrero, dark enough for a Cuban or 
a Spaniard, was, from the back of a beautiful blooded mare, 
overseeing a lot of plantation darkies at work. He at once 
rode towards us. and courteously remox'ing his hat, said with 
a foreign accent, "I see from sour uniforms that you are 
Yankees. I wish that von could ha\e been here \'esterdav, 
for I might have been spared the loss of several horses which 
the guerrillas took away. My Kitty," stroking her glossy neck, 
" was saved only by spending anight in the swamp " Inviting 
us to his house, he ordered an excellent dinner for the men and 
taking Captain Houk and mysi'lf to his own prixate rooms 
in the second story of an adjoining building, ushered us in 
his cosy and finel\- furnished apartments. The handsome 
piano, well selected pictures, and foreign bric-a-brac looked 
strangely out of place, miles and miles away as the plantation 
was from even the smaller towns While waiting for our 
diimer to Ix- ann<iunced, he entertained us niosl charmingly 



upon the piano and later on his guitar. He said, as we were 
bidding him goodbye, "Vou would not think, perhaps, that 
I am a negro; my father's plantation is but four miles north 
of here and 1 hope \'ou will visit him if going in that direction. 
He is the well known Dr C I am his son and have spent three 
years in Paris; but he is getting on in years and wanted me 
nearer him in these troublous times. Xo, the rebels do not 
molest him nor me personall\-; but they run off our stock, 
steal our horses and trample our fields, but so far have only 
threatened us. Perhajis some day the\- will attempt some- 
thing more serious, and then (he significantly touched his 
hip pocket). I shall never be taken alive, and our darkies 
would all die for us Father and I are both .Masons." He 
had already found out that I was one. 

A few hours later we visited his father and found him a 
most courteous host, in appearance something like our own 
Fred Douglass. The sideboard, filled with several different 
kinds of wine and excellent old whiskey was placed at our 
disposal With evident pride he showed us his library, a large 
room filled on three sides from floor to ceiling with hundreds 
of books, ancient and mf)dern, foreign and home Dr C. 
said he would Ix- anxious to have us remain all night, but 
that it would be extremely hazardous. The rebels were quite 
numerous and liable to visit his plantation anv night in fairly 
large numbers. The spies always seemed to keep them well 
informed of any movements of our soldiers. He would not 
send a written message, but told us tii ride about ten miles 
northwest if we were going in that direction, and spend the 
night with his brother-in-law, a white man (Dr. C's first wife 
was a white woman), who was also a Mason and privately 
a Union man Dr C introduced his wife, a large intensely 
black negress, not esjX'ciall}- l)right and not e\-en good looking. 



AVe felt cnnfi(K'iit thai we had iiol vet met tlie iiuither (if 
the young niair fmin whom we liail reeeiitl\- ]iarte(i About 
six years a-n 1 read that Dr^ C died full of yeais aud .ijreatlx- 
respeeled aud known far and wide as one of the liest read nu-n 
either whiti- or hlaek of the Stale or perhaps llie entire South 

Reachintc the plantation mentioned toward sundown, we 
were cordiall\- received and the negro ser\auts were directed 
to get a good supixT \<'r the men. while the captain and mvself 
were as usual iu\ited up to the big house After wasliing 
and brushing up as well as we could, the Captain and I entered 
the sitting room, darkened to keep out the flies and mosquitos. 
A lad>- about thirty years of age. elegantly dressed, immediateh- 
rose and extending her hand to uie said, in the most cordial 
tones, 'W'hw Cajitain. this is a mo>t unex])ected pleasure 
How are Nciur brother anil the ColoneK-"" 

I said. •"The Colonel was well when 1 saw him a week or 
so ago and my brothers were, when 1 heard from them several 
months ago Ha\e \-ou not mistaken me I'orsome one else? " 

She withdrew her hand and reseating herself said rather 
haughtily. "I do not forget old friends as easily as \-ou seetti 
to." 

"Excuse me, madam, but unless I have met \'ou elsewhere, 
there must be some mistake, for this is the first time I have 
ever been within man\- miles of this plantation " 

As I made this remark I happened to glance at tlie old 
gentleman, a white mustached, military looking man, and 
noticed he was standing in quite a threatening attitude, his 
eves fairl\- blazing with excitement if not anger Advancing 
a step toward mc and placing his arm around the lady's waist, 
he said, " Daughter, as our Xew York friend forgets so easilv, 
we must beg to be excused from dining with strangers 
(ientlemen," said he, to both of us (jioor Captain Ilonk 



had not even been introduced and was evidently greatly 
surprised), "dinner is ready Permit nie and my daughter 
to retire " 

"One moment, sir," I said, standing directly in his path, 
"I shall ncit permit either of you to go while lab(jring under 
so ridiculous a delusion My name is Captain Fred W . 
Mitchell of Comjiany I, 12th Illinois Cavalry and this is my 
friend Captain Houk of Company L Xeither of us have ever 
been within a hundred miles of this plantation, and a year 
ago, at the time you say I was the recipient of your hospitality, 
I was serving with mv regiment in the Army of the Potomac." 

"Have vou a brother or brothers in the Union Army?" 
faltered the ladv. 

"I have two, one a Captain and the other a Lieutenant in 
the 128th New York Infantry." 

"We beg most sincerely that you will pardon us," said both 
at once. "You certainly must forgive us, and your remarkable 
likeness to your younger brother must be our excuse. The 
128th New York was encamped with us for many months, and 
when your brother and the Colonel were ordered away, they 
certainly showed their regret at leaving. You can imagine 
how we felt when, in less than a year, it seemed as if for some 
reason, you were determined to ignore our pleasant former 
relations." After a most toothsome dinner we enjoved some 
really excellent music by our hostess, while our men were 
summoned to the lawn and the darkies sang some of their 
old-time melodies and weird hymns until we almost forgot 
that we were in a land of war and rumors of wars. 

The guerrillas crowded our pickets pretty close that night 
and some shots were exchanged, but our very boldness in 
penetrating so far inside their lines made them pretty cautious. 
Thev did not know whether we had twentv men <jr two hun- 



drcd or even represciilfd the advance of Ranks's Army, as by 
keeping the back roads we had travelled over a hundred 
miles from our heackiuarters. We broke cam]) al)oul 4 A. M. 
and after penetrating twenty live miles into the Teehe eountry, 
stopped for a lunch and to breathe our horses. Our last 
host had supplied the Ca[)tain and myself with a couple of 
bottles of most excellent whiskey and with our horses unbridh'd 
our men were taking a morning nip. Whenever we halted 
our sergeant, without waiting I'or orders, alwavs rode a hundrt-d 
yards or so in advance and posted a coui)le of the men on guard. 
Suddenly a shot rang out and we knew it came from them, 
else the rebels were upon us. Almost instantlv, as it seemed 
to me, we had bridled our horses and were charging down 
the road, no one knowing what the next moment might bring 
forth. ( )ur sergeant suddenlv appeared from the swam]i to 
the right of thi- road, hatless and muddy, on foot, and grabbing 
a carbine from one of our men dashed back into the woods. 
Rapid firing was soon heard and when, after floundering with 
our horses through the swamp, I reached the stream with 
five of my men, we found that the sergeant had killed one 
of the rebels and wounded another. The one killed proved 
to be the leader of the guerrilla partw which we later learned 
numbered nearh one hundred men. The leader's old dirtv 
Confederate iacket la\ on the bank at our feet, no one caring 
to touch it; but in it there was a roll of 570,000 in United 
States greenbacks. We were reliably informed the next day 
that this party had been going through the country, by orders, 
for over three weeks, confiscating all greenbacks as contraband 
articles of war, and the above amoimt was actually taken 
from the jacket. When with live of the captured ponies I 
returned to the road, I found that Captain Houk with the 
balance of the connnand had iiushed ahead after the main 



lO 



body. Fallinq: back to an old dismantled fortification, within 
an hour I was holding a dozen citizens under duress, all of 
whom, if not actually taken in arms, were openly hostile, and 
it kept my small force very busy preventing their escape. 
Toward evening Captain Houk returned, having pursued the 
party many miles, wounding several of them and scattering 
their force in the swamps and bywa>'s where our heavier horses 
dared not follow. 

Our sergeant informed us that when he posted his pickets 
about the usual distance in advance, he rode beyond the next 
bend of the road. There sat two men in blue uniforms. 
Knowing that he was the advance of ciii- party and that 
these must be rebels, he had just raised his carbine when 
dozens of men rushed out from either side of the road and 
demanded his surrender. Of course there was no alternative. 
The captain disarmed him and asked him how many men 
there were with him. The sergeant was an Irishman and 
answered quick as a flash, "Hundreds, and Banks's whole 
army is behind them." . 

Just then he heard the click of a revolver close to his left 
cheek and as he involuntarily threw his head back a bullet 
from the treacherous foe grazed his forehead. That was the 
shot we heard, and the sergeant said that though minutes 
seem long at such times it appeared as if we came to his 
rescue before the echo of the shot had ceased. Hearing our 
charge, and believing that the army was indeed coming, the 
guerrilla captain cried out for each to save himself. It was 
this captain whom the sergeant killed a few moments later, 
wounding, as he was swimming the stream, the one who had 
fired at him after his surrender. 

Nothing (if especial note occurred until a few evenings later 
we reached the town nf I*la<|uemine on the Mississippi, where 



an artillcTx- rc.s^ninciil was statidiicd. cdiiiposeti ni nortlicrii 
coluri'd im-ii My iiieii wt-rc \-crv lirud, liad just unsaddli-d 
and \\crc fii-Lised in making colTce, calcnhuins on tlRir well 
c-arni'd rcsl and a good night's sleep, free I'luni ])ieket dnly. 
A man rode into cani]5 and announeed in i;reat exeitenu'iil 
tlial llie I'onr eouriers who eairied the mail from l'la(|uemine 

iletail from our own r<.-giinent 1. and who were alwa\s unarmed 
and considered non coniljalaiits. as lliev deli\ered the mail 
or matter not contraband l<i those living along the line, iiad 

Without orders and without a nuuinur our men iustautl\- 
saddled and we dashed down the river road, our hearts full 
of vengeance, liut it was the same old stor\ 'riR- inhabi- 
tants disclaiined all knowledge of any who had done the deed 
and the murderers had stolen away into the swamp and left 
no trace behind them At the house of an old Frenchman, 
however, we found one of our murdered soldiers The French- 
man gave me a Masonic sign and u])on my responding told 
me with tears in his eyes how the poor fellow, after being 
shot from his horse, hatl dragged himself to his house Three 
of the guerrillas had followed him and wanted to finish their 
work, but he sc-eing a Masonic badge upon the soldier's shirt, 
had rushed into his house and returning with a revolver had 
stood over the soldier's body and swore that no further violence 
would be allowed unless they first killed him His daughter 
told me that her father had called them cowards and assassins 
to their faces and ordered them to have his house and like 
cowards as they were they slunk awa\- 

After a few (lavs of further scouting, witiiout s]3ecial adven 
ture, aiifl ha\'ing dispro\-ed the rumors that had originally 
induced our raitl, we reached our home camp. And now 
occurred the curious set|uel. 



Presumably the same reports that had given us reason for 
our trip had reached the commanding general at Thibadeaux 
and the day following our return, Captain Lawson, of an 
Indiana, cavalry regiment, suddenly rode into our camp fol- 
lowed bv at least a hundred mounted men. He and his lieu- 
tenant inquired for me and showed me their orders from the 
General to make almost the identical trip from which I had just 
returned I stated to them very earnestly that it would prove 
a useless and foolish expedition: that Captain Houk and I 
had just reached camp after penetrating the rebel lines and 
scouring the country for ox'cr a hundred and fiftv miles with 
about a dozen men and had used every means in our power 
to provoke a light willi the rebels whom we met- Onlv a 
few bands of guerrillas had been encountered who proved to 
be a cowardly murdering set, and that we would be perfectly 
willing to take ten picked men and camp almost anywhere 
within that radius, for an indefinite time. Of course, this 
report could not but impress him, but he said his orders were 
imperative, particularly as to learning if there was a rebel 
camp at Lake Natchez. 

"Why, that is but ten miles distant," I answered, "and 
we ride down there every few days. We camped there night 
before last and there isn't a rebel force within a hundred 
miles " 

He decided, however, to go there and camp and if he could 
learn nothing himself, to then send the result of our trip to 
the General, and await further instructions. 

At midnight of the following day, we were awakened by 
the sudden entrance of a soldier into the house we used as 
headquarters where the door always stood wide open. Upon 
striking a light, we found he was in a sorry pHght, covered 
with mud and brambles and almost exhausted. Two of his 



•0 r.M-ce 


Thfv 


soiiK' \va 


V liad 


S 111 llK-S\ 


vamp. 


bust ut 


llR-ir 


I'll huins 


citlKT 


", l\vcnt\' 


addi 


K- same 


sliirv, 


iiK-diatc-Iv 


11J30I1 


III was an 


lused, 



13 



comrades came in shortly afterwards in tlie same cimditioi 
They said their camp at Lake Xateliez liad lieen attacked h 
several hundred rebels the ni.<;ht of the (la\ tlie\' k-ft u; 
that all their ollicers had been killed, and that so far as the 
knew. the\- were tlu' only survi\iirs nf the enti 
themselves had lieen on picket dutv, and in 
not been attacked, sd had cmicealed tliemsehi 
and after the rebels had left, had made tin 
wav to our cam]}, all the other pickets and n 
killed .ir cai)tured I lurin- the da v. howeve 
tional men stra-sled in, all telling about t 
though ignorant of man>- of the details Im 
hearing the story of the first arrivals, the can 
boots and saddles were sounded and Cajilain Steele, comman- 
dant of our post, with eighty of our own men, all armed with 
the Spencer carljinc. rode rapidly to Lake .Natchez and without 
any difficulty scattered the rebel force, driving some into 
their scows across the Lake and the rest into the swamps. 
The second day Captain Lawson came in. reaching us in a 
most wretched condition, half starxxd and C(ini])leteh- heart- 
broken at his great loss of both man and material. We 
learned from him that his camp had been completeh- surrounded 
by the rebels and that when the attack was made, all but 
the pickets were sound asleep, and the surprise was com])lete. 
The Captain had rallied a few of his men and had fought 
desperateh'. but was c|iiickly overpowered, though he and a 
few of his followers had escaped to the swam])s. To this dav 
I believi' not one of the captured has ever been heard from. 
Lawson said that he knew this was the laid of his militarv 
career, for while he Ijelieved lie had taken e\er\- inilitar\- 
precaution, no olTicer could explain awa\- siu-li a disgrace. I 
tried to console him as best 1 could and told Iiini that I con 



14 



sidered myself in a measure responsible for his surprise on 
account of the statement I had made to him, and hoped he 
would make use of me to his best advantage. About a week 
later 1 reeei\ed a letter from him slating that he had been 
placed under arrest and that his trial would take place at 
once. He wished me to come to Thibadeaux and act as his 
counsel. I obtained leave of absence and rode to his head- 
quarters, but when I met him informed him that while I was 
perfectly willing to be his principal witness and take my full 
share oi the blame for advising him that there was no danger, 
and that he would meet no hostile force on his trip, that I 
was in no sense r)f the word a lawver and whoUv ignorant of 
what my duties as such might be; that it was too serious a 
matter for him to take any chances. But he was verv stubborn 
and said that 1 knew all the circumstances and that it should 
be me or no one. (jf course I consented, determined to do 
all in my power in his behalf. I found that the Captain was 
exceedingly popular with his men and that none of those 
who had escaped blamed him in the least f(jr their surprise 
and defeat. Among them, there were in all six, who had 
been on picket. On the court-martial they testified that the 
Captain had posted in all fifteen men and had presumably 
given each the same orders as he had to themselves: which 
were, to act as if an attack were liable to be made at any 
time and to let no one approach near them from the outside, 
without promptly challenging them. His expression had been : 
"It will be pretty safe to shoot first and inquire afterwards." 
During the progress of the trial, one of the rebels who had 
been brought in a prisoner by Captain vSteele, sent for me, 
stating that he had something of importance to communicate. 
He said that he had heard that the officer in command of the 
partv latelv defeated was being tried bv court-martial and 



suninioii him as a wiiiuss. 


While h 


id formerly lived in tlu- \<> 


rlh and h. 


an l)einK disgraced williou 


1 eaiisi-. 


Uited that tlieir own eani|) i 


•onsisted o 


11 stationed nianv miles 1) 


evond thi 


onls liad hrou.^lit them no 


tice that 


1- thron,';h the Teehc- eo 


tmtry. S 


edition, not onl\- to eaptnr 


e that iia 



he wanted 
rebel, his fi 
beHe\-e in : 
witness stai 

live hnndreil men stationed manv miles heNDiid this Lake, 
and that tlieir seonls liad hron.^ht them notice that a small 
party was 

organized an expedition, not onl\- to eaptnie that jiarli 
party but also to siir])rise onr main camp and .^et jiossession 
of our splendid liorses of which they had oflt'ii heard, and 
which by Banks's orders we had during the earlv summer 
confiscated in X'ew Orleans wliile acting as provost guard. 
Captain Honk and mvself had moved too rapidly and boldly 
to be taken, and their command was Iving (|uietl\- in camp, 
by Lake Xatchez, waiting for night to attack our own camp, 
when their scouts reported the approach (jf Captain Lawson 
and his com])an\'. The rebel leader at once ordered a dozen 
of his men to climb trees in the vicinity and watch, and later 
report all the nio\ements of Lawson's command, who had 
arranged his canii) almost within speaking distance of theirs. 
They saw each [jicket ]iosted and marked each man's post 
and the arrangement of the camp ilself. A rebel officer 
with ten men was detailed to capture the L'ederal officers. 
Lawson, though undoubtedly wholly surprised, acted so 
prrjinptly and fought so desperatcl\- that this was not acconi 
plished and he, the Captain, and most of 'hose with him cut 
their way out, using only their naked sabres. Later 1 foimd 
two or three other of the captured rebels who corroborated 
the first witness and showed plainh- that Lawson had used 
everv reasonable precaution. .Mv f)wn Lienteiianl and Caji- 
tain Houk testified in the strongest manner jjossible how we 
had all told Lawson thai there were no rebels in the countrv 



i6 



and that he was going on a fool's errand. I finally rested the 
case with the full conviction that acquittal was almost certain 
or at the utmost would warrant only a formal reprimand. 
I was personally intimate with the president of the court, had 
served with him on previous court-martials and knew him 
and several of the members to be high toned liberal minded 
officers. What was my surprise when 1 later learned that 
the sentence of the court, approved by the commanding 
general, was dismissal from the service, a forfeiture of all 
pay and allowance and that Lawson should never again hold 
a commission in the army during the war. 

My own dutiis fully occupied me for several weeks following, 
when one da\ an orderly brought me a letter from Captain 
Lawson. It was filled with thanks and thanksgiving, and 
contained a very handsome douceur for me, with a wish that 
it were much larger. The findings of the court had been 
sent to General Banks, commanding the Department, who 
had returned them with the most scathing reprimand to the 
president and members of the court as well as to the command- 
ing general; had ordered Captain Lawson to be returned to 
full duty at once, and the proceedings of the court to be set 
aside. He added that a slight reprimand might have been 
admissable and approved ; but in view of the unjust and 
outrageous disgrace that a brave and honorable officer had 
been made to suffer, no sentence at all would be tolerated. 
And to-day, along the banks of this same Bayou La Fourche, 
and through that same wild country of the Teche, where the 
long drooping folds of the Spanish moss swing lazily in the 
warm breeze, men and women pass and repass, with none to 
molest nor make afraid, and the little children listen to these 
war time stories as to an unsubstantiated tale of long ago. 



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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



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